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Nobody Puts Apple in a Corner

How many times have we let Apple solecisms slide over the years, whether it was due to the overwhelming counter-balance of its products’ strong points, or the smooth-talking charisma of Steve Jobs?

Yet somehow, inexplicably, the tables have turned with the iPhone 4 and we now find ourselves demanding answers from Cupertino on a topic that’s really as old as the cell phone itself.

It’s no doubt that the death grip phenomenon, or “Antennagate”, indeed exists and can even be reproduced by anyone with an iPhone 4 and between one and four bars of signal.

But is this anything new?

Countless phones over the years have come with warnings, recommending against holding them in such a way that blocks signal. When you’re trying to cram all of the ridiculous tech that goes into these phones into tiny packages, sometimes there’s just no avoiding the delicate nature of cellular reception.

Could Apple have avoided a good deal of this heartache with a warning sticker or cautionary message? Sure, we typically ignore these messages entirely, but assuming it was prominent enough, I’m guessing users would be far less appalled by the death grip.

Still, the fact remains that, while it might not be not quite as severe or reproducible in other devices, this is not Apple sabotage, it’s science.

More importantly, what did you really expect Apple to do here, especially after the fact?

The press, the public and even politicians have been pointing fingers at Apple demanding answers and reparations for this audacious design flaw plaguing their beloved new hardware. So much so, that Apple felt it necessary to host a Steve Jobs-led press conference to try and quell the rampant misgivings of the world.

Shouldn’t we be ogling retina displays and FaceTiming friends instead of accusing Apple of any wrong-doing? That would sure seem more like par for the course than the state we’re currently in.

Many people had guesses at what Apple might propose as a resolution to this epic problem. Most guesses included the announcement of free Bumpers, Apple’s case that eliminates the “death grip” issue for most users.

Yet, when this was indeed Apple’s proposed solution for the time being, many felt like it was a cheap fix and simply not enough.

What did you expect? A recall? With return rates at an insanely low 1.7%, that’s not happening any time soon.

Anyone who’s spent any time working in wireless retail will tell you that this is how it works. If you purchase a device that is faulty or defective in any way, you can almost always return it to the carrier for a full refund or exchange for another device.

If your phone sucks, you’re welcome to return it, and you know what? We’ll probably even offer you a free accessory for your trouble.

Sound familiar?

So there’s the glimmer of our typical reality when it comes to how we regard Apple. We’re complaining, yet we wouldn’t dare give up our devices. So why is Jobs’ offer not enough?

Do you want him to come and apply the duct tape for you? Get over it, or return your device and get a new phone. That’s the great thing about being a consumer — you have that choice.

The bottom line is, we absolutely should not hold Apple at a lower standard than any other tech company we buy from. But we also shouldn’t hold Apple to a higher standard. Every company is entitled to a goof-up every once in a while and, truth be told, Apple has made it a practice to keep them to a bare minimum over the years.

This post originally appeared on Know Your Cell on July 19th, 2010.

Tags: Apple, AT&T, Competition, Death Grip, Innovation, iOS, iPhone 4, Latest, PR, Press, Smartphone